Music: Hour of the Wolf

In 2009, who is left to carry the dwindling flame for the provocative sub-genre called Horror Punk? The prime candidate appears to be Hour of the Wolf. Steeped in the no-bullshit fervor of Black Flag and the ominous imagery that the ‘Fits crafted so well, HotW’s material violently barrel forward without a pause in sight. The barbed bellows and croons of guitarist/vocalist Lance (whose surname is usually published as Wolf) propels the band as Hour’s instruments wreak the kind of destruction you would expect from the weather during Armageddon.

The quintet originally came together in Prescott, Ariz., in the early ‘00s and features four members of now-defunct Hardcore group Life in Pictures.

However, even as the band valiantly fleshes out their discography and keeps their eyes on breaking fresh ground, they, too, hope to see Horror Punk’s original creatures someday return to classic form. “The Misfits were the first Punk band I got into and they will always be my favorite,” Lance adds fondly. “(We) wouldn’t be a band if it weren't for the Misfits.” If the Hour of the Wolf can thrive long enough to somehow fulfill the prophecy of their name, Glenn Danzig, Jerry Only, and Co. might share a stage again someday -- even if only for 60 minutes.

Hour of the Wolf plays the Cup & Saucer Cafe. Read Reyan Ali's interview with the band here.